 CAMDEN, UK (Digital Music Awards Official Website) - Radio 1 DJ Edith Bowman has signed up to present this year's BT Digital Music Awards, to be held at legendary venue The Roundhouse in Camden on October 3, 2006. BT also announced a brand new category for Best Unsigned Artist at this year's awards, with the winner to receive a gong on the night. Ten unsigned acts are competing for the opportunity to perform at the awards ceremony alongside well-established acts and in front of a crowd of 750 music fans, media and record industry chiefs.
The ten unsigned acts, shortlisted by www.Channel4.com/music, are going head-to-head at www.dma06.com where music fans can log on and vote for their favourite act. The 'My Music' section of www.Channel4.com/music features profiles on 12,000 unsigned acts, each of which has uploaded music and biographies to the website. Every week Channel 4 Radio select six of these unsigned bands to feature on their podcast, 'SlashMusic' presented by Tom Ravenscroft, son of legendary DJ John Peel. BT has joined up with them to shortlist ten of their best unsigned acts across a mix of genres including indie, pop, hip-hop and dance. Visit www.channel4.com/music/mymusic for more information on the band or follow the links below. Gavin Patterson, BT Consumer MD, said: "We are really excited about the new unsigned category at this year's Awards. With so many emerging acts creating opportunities and fanbases for themselves online, it seemed only natural that we should include a category for them this year. Especially in light of the fact that many unsigned artists such as the Arctic Monkeys, Lily Allen and Sandi Thom have all managed to break through to the mainstream and secure major record deals by promoting themselves online."
Go online now using the links below to listen to each of the ten shortlisted acts and then visit www.dma06.com to vote for your favourite and to find out more about the BT Digital Music Awards 2006.
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